As technology enthusiasts, in this house we have the habit of paying attention to the technology of television and cinema, even when it’s only there to advance the plot. We are curious to know how it works and what it is used for.
Most science fiction movies feature characters with transparent and ultra-thin smartphones and tablets that now seem less like a fantasy and more like a short-term reality,
However, the virtual reality glasses from The Three-Body Problem (3 Body Problem) are not the same type of near-future technological fantasy. The metallic glasses are much more powerful than the best virtual reality equipment, like Meta Quest 3 and Apple’s Vision Pro.
Of course, these glasses probably use eye and gesture tracking, but most of their work seems to be done at the neural level. The VR team not only tracks brain activity, but fills it with images and experiences that could be described as lucid dreams.
A too real experience
No matter how much we can see, hear, and examine in current VR, headsets like Vision Pro cannot transmit taste, smell, touch, or sensations. Yes, you can wear some haptic equipment to feel a virtual punch in the gut, but none of that hardware is natural or organic. It is a poor simulation of the real sensation.
In 3 Body Problem, people who use the glasses can taste the dirt, smell body odor, and feel a blade piercing their neck. No one claims that what the characters see and feel is real. In one scene, a character reminds his companion that, although it may seem like they are boiling alive, “it’s not real”.
It must be recognized that the creators of the series have succeeded with the initial experience of the virtual reality helmet. Every time someone puts on the sleek helmet, they see their own eyes, which then merge before immersing themselves in a fully immersive and often dangerous 360-degree environment.
No matter the technology, I don’t want this level of immersion. On one hand, I don’t want to know what it would feel like to be cut in half by a ninja blade. On the other hand, it’s exactly the kind of experience that could encourage some people to never return to the real world. It’s fine for a series, but this VR for real life is very dangerous.
